Cavs, FSO go with recognizable voice in John Michael as other play-by-play announcer

The Cleveland Cavaliers and FOX Sports Ohio went with a voice fans will recognize in naming John Michael as their other play-by-play announcer alongside Austin Carr, and I can’t blame them for doing so.

As we’ve emphasized here at KJG, the Cleveland Cavaliers and so many others, including obviously his family and the fanbase, will miss late play-by-play announcer Fred McLeod more than words can describe.

McLeod brought such passion and energy to every broadcast and seemed to touch so many people, based on the team naming their newly-expanded media workroom after him, and his passing recently is not something that has really sunk in just yet for fans of the Cavaliers it seems.

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With the season rapidly approaching, though, the team and FOX Sports Ohio had to find someone to step in and at least try to fill his shoes as the other play-by-play announcer alongside one of the best Cavs ever in Austin Carr.

For that role, the two sides went with familiarity in naming John Michael as the individual to step in and continue to keep a very high standard in Cleveland team broadcasts, as FOX Sports Ohio and the Cleveland Cavaliers announced on Monday (per a team press release).

Michael has been involved with the Cavs for quite some time now, as for the last eight seasons, he has been alongside former Cleveland big Jim Chones (who was a heck of a player for the team, like Carr) calling games as one of the team’s radio play-by-play broadcasters.

Michael did an admirable job taking over for seemingly one of the best to ever do it in Joe Tait, who is one of the individuals in the rafters and will be featured on the team’s Wall of Honor in what will be a newly-renovated Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse this season.

Michael, as was noted, will bring a familiar presence to broadcasts for viewers of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he has a well-established chemistry with Carr as well, as Michael has long hosted “Cavs HQ,” and as the team noted, will be a “regular contributor” to “Cavaliers Live” before and after each game of the 2019-20 season and I’d imagine beyond.

Michael has always had sensible commentary throughout games, and as McLeod did, brings a tremendous work ethic and energy that are clearly felt with his analysis each and every night.

Along with his contributions to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Michael (per the team) worked with FOX Sports Ohio before as the Columbus Blue Jackets host, reporter on rink-side and was a regular contributor to “Blue Jackets Live” before and after each Jackets game.

The press release would also go on to say how he was the first “Voice of the Cleveland Monsters” here, too.

Again, the key for the team and FOX Sports Ohio in going with Michael is his already-established rapport with the likes of Carr, sideline reporter Angel Gray, along with Cayleigh Griffin, who will give her share of interviews and is a regular contributor to the team’s coverage as well along with the others.

Playing off that, FOX Sports Ohio executive producer Tom Farmer highlighted how Michael (per the release) “will bring a great sense of familiarity to the viewing experience and a genuine connection with fans.”

Michael, who has reportedly had tons of play-by-play experience in covering of a combination of the AHL’s Springfield Falcons, the ECHL’s Johnstown Chiefs along with a bunch of sports for the MSA Sports Network in Pennsylvania, should do an excellent job keeping up the very high standard McLeod held for the Cavaliers/FOX Sports Ohio.

It was also nice to see him show how humbling it was to take over for a legend in McLeod and it’s evident that McLeod’s work ethic and energy into each broadcast for the Cavaliers will be applied in the same way by Michael, who was a former attorney, by the way (per his Twitter).

In regards to the individual taking over alongside Chones for the Cleveland Cavaliers radio side (on WTAM 1100 and 100.7 WMMS on FM), those shoes will be filled by Tim Alcorn, who has been with AM930 in Elyria/Lorain for the past 27 years and he was recently the “lead sports voice, sports director and station manager.”

Alcorn has been previously involved in Cavs and Indians before and after game coverage for that station, has been occasionally been involved in Cleveland Gladiators play-by-play, pregame, halftime and after-game coverage for the Cavaliers Radio Network, and has been involved with countless play-by-play for several high school sports, while seemingly doing an awesome job in all capacities (per the release).

Alcorn, who was ever-grateful for the role starting soon for him, I would think will fill in really well in his role, too.

The Cavaliers, who finished just 19-63 last season (per NBA.com), will have their share of growing pains again in 2019-20, and that’s clear.

However, key young pieces in Collin Sexton (second among qualified Cavs last season in scoring with 16.7 points per game, per NBA.com), Cedi Osman and I would imagine the progression of the three rookies in Darius Garland, Dylan Windler and Kevin Porter Jr. should provide plenty of reason for fans to tune in to games on FOX Sports Ohio with Michael and Carr as the play-by-play hosts.

Hopefully star big Kevin Love (who played in only 22 games last season mostly due to reported toe surgery, per Basketball Reference) can stay mostly healthy this season to make the team more enjoyable to call/watch as well.